LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The News

I got solicited by a group of NYU journalism students, who couldn't have been any cuter, any more earnest or enthusiastic about what they were doing, which was a random survey that consisted of two questions:
How do you personally define a group as a minority?
and
What’s your major source for news? 
"You can take your time to think about it."
I didn't need to.

A minority group is one that within in a larger group has fewer numbers; my major news source is local public radio stations and the UK Guardian online.


"Interesting!  Everyone else answered the first question with the name of some ethnic group.  Nobody's said the radio or a foreign newspaper.  The radio?Radio??????"

I assured them that I was Old School.  And that radio still existed.

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